The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA), a statewide civil-rights advocacy organization, released a statement praising the Schuyler County Board, who recently voted unanimously to mandate diversity training for all county department heads, employees and all members of the board.
The development occurred in response to remarks posted on Facebook by Schulyer County Sheriff Don Schieferdecker. According to AOL News, Schieferdecker made the comment under a Facebook photo of a boy with his mouth open. Someone posted, “Look, I found a fag,” to which the sheriff replied (in a post that has been removed), “Yup and his mouth is open, his glasses are off, he’s ready, little fag Jew boy.” Schieferdecker has apologized.
TCRA Executive Director Anthony Martinez recently gave a statement to the county board that included portions of a letter from Sue Hyde of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Hyde grew up in neighboring Beardstown.
After the vote, Martinez said in a statement, “This is an amazing achievement for Civil Rights in Illinois. To have all of the employees of the entire county going through diversity training, especially in a rural county such as this, will help to create change in every community throughout Schuyler. Education is one of the most important weapons we have in our arsenal against discrimination. I am thrilled with this outcome.”